'Positive step' - South Tyneside appoints six 'independent' representatives to scrutinise council decisions

As part of plans to strengthen its scrutiny framework, earlier this year South Tyneside Council launched a search for non-councillor representatives to sit on its six scrutiny committees.

The individuals, who will not receive a salary or allowance for the voluntary role, will play an “important” part in the council’s scrutiny function by using their “time, experience, skills and expertise to provide challenge” to help improve services. 

Scrutiny committees are made up of councillors with an aim of holding the council’s ruling cabinet to account, as well as launching investigations and making recommendations to improve public life.

In addition, the committees aim to amplify the voices and concerns of residents.

The council subsequently posted an advert for independent representatives for six of its scrutiny committees, with local authority bosses looking to fill up to 12 vacancies in total, with two representatives per committee.

The latest borough council meeting (on Thursday, September 5) heard applications were received from 12 candidates who each met with leading officers for informal interviews “to evaluate suitability for appointment”.

Findings from the interviews were then presented to the council’s constitution committee, which recommended appointing 10 of the candidates as independent representatives to scrutiny committees.

The applicants were also matched to the most appropriate scrutiny committee based on their “previous employment, skills and life experiences”.

Councillors at the borough council meeting unanimously agreed to appoint the selected candidates for an initial term of three years, with the option to renew for a further two if agreed by the independent representative and borough council.

Labour’s Councillor Tracey Dixon, council leader, speaking at the meeting, said the individuals will “bring a unique perspective to our scrutiny work that will help influence service design, policy and decision making”.

She added: “These independent representatives are our residents who have come forward to volunteer their time, their experience, their skills and expertise to provide challenge to help improve council services. 

“They will not be paid any salary or allowance for the role and the service that they will provide to our council, and do so purely on a voluntary basis because they truly care, as we do, about our borough, our residents and our communities.

“I would sincerely like to thank each and every candidate who has been part of that process who has expressed their interest.”

She added the independent representatives “are not members of the scrutiny committees”, although they will sit on them and attend the public meetings, and they have no voting rights.

Councillor David Francis, Green group leader on the local authority, added the move “is a very positive step in terms of strengthening the scrutiny function of the council” and thanked the people who put themselves forward.

He said: “These are all voluntary unpaid positions and looking at the reasons for recommendation it seems that they’ve got a lot to bring to the council.

“I did recognise a few of the names and I know that those people are residents with a sincere desire to help improve things for the borough.

“I’m sure their expertise, their experience and their insight will be valuable contributions to our scrutiny function.”

The council scrutiny committees and the independent representatives who have been appointed to them are:

-Our Place Scrutiny Committee: David Hern and Michael Maughan.

-Adult Safeguarding, Health, and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee: Paul Cuskin and Norma Thompson.

-Children Safeguarding and Young People Scrutiny Committee: Stephen Marley.

-Housing and Environment Scrutiny Committee: Trevor Foreman and Martin Steele.

-Education and Skills Scrutiny Committee: Hana Elhamruni 

-Contracts and Commissioning Scrutiny Committee: John Everitt and Chris Harwood.

The statement on the North East Jobs website which advertised the roles noted candidates would be “expected to demonstrate high standards of integrity, demonstrate they can remain independent in their thinking and be able to act with tact and discretion and maintain confidentiality”.

Applicants were also requested to have a “keen interest in public life and an ability to analyse evidence, to question written and verbal reports and to come to rational and well-evidenced conclusions”, along with “effective interpersonal skills, in particular, strong influencing, and communication skills”.

The public advert said applicants did “not need any formal qualifications” and that although the roles are voluntary, “reasonable travel and subsistence expenses may be claimed”.